Heretofore, sterile disposable surgical garments have been wrapped in a sterile material. While removing the material surrounding the garment, the "sterile field" protecting the garment can be destroyed by the insertion of the unwrapper's (i.e., nurse) hands. Contamination of the "sterile field" increases the risk of transferring contaminants to the sterile garment and ultimately to the sterile field created around the patient. Accordingly, many doctors and hospitals prefer that the contaminated gown be discarded.
Additionally, to unwrap the sterile garment required numerous motions by the nurse. Such wasted motion is time consuming, especially before complicated procedures which may require as many as fifty or more sterile items.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,107,786 is directed to a package for surgical gloves. The package comprises a rectangular inner panel and a square outer panel. The inner panel is folded over onto itself and holds the gloves. The outer panel is then folded over the inner panel to form an envelope. Tape is used to fix the outer package in place.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,366,228 is directed to a surgical glove package. The package comprises an inner wrapping which is generally rectangular in shape. The inner wrapping is folded over onto itself to contain gloves. The inner wrap is enclosed within a rectangular outer wrap. The outer wrap is sealed with tape.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,384,225 is a sterile package for gloves which comprises an inner rectangular wrapper in which gloves are contained and an outer wrapper which is generally rectangular and folded over the inner wrapper.
The Kimberly-Clark Corporation surgical gown No. 9011 is a surgical gown upon which the present invention is based. The wrapping material used to surround this gown is exemplary of sterile wrapping material. See U.S. Pat. No. 4,041,203 and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 239,566. But, the wrapper includes no pull tab or strap, which will be described in greater detail below. The Kimberly-Clark wrapper requires at least three separate movements to open. Each movement is associated with unfolding a corner of the wrap away from the sterile garment contained within.